Worcester, MA Area Codes

Area codes serving Worcester

Worcester sits in Massachusetts, part of the Northeast region and the Eastern Time zone. Its numbers are spread across an overlay of 2 codes that all cover the same ground: 508, 774.

The original code is 508 (in service since 1988). As the area ran low on numbers, regulators added overlay codes on top instead of splitting the city, so longtime residents kept their numbers while new lines received a newer code.

Code	Area served	In service
508	Central and southeastern Massachusetts, including Worcester, Cape Cod and the islands	July 16, 1988
774	Central and southeastern Massachusetts, including Worcester, Cape Cod and the islands	May 2, 2001

Nearby cities sharing these area codes

• New Bedford
• Brockton
• Fall River
• Framingham
• Taunton
• Plymouth
• Attleboro
• Barnstable
• Marlborough
• Shrewsbury
• Milford
• Falmouth
• Dartmouth

How to pick an area code for a new number

When you activate a new line in Worcester, the carrier assigns whichever code has numbers available — you usually can't choose. If a specific code matters to you (for example the prestige of 508), ask the carrier whether any blocks remain, or request a number transfer. All codes here dial identically and cost the same.

Dialing in Worcester

Because Worcester is an overlay area, 10-digit dialing is mandatory: always dial the area code plus the seven-digit number, even for a neighbor. See 10-digit dialing and overlay area codes for the background. For every code in Massachusetts, visit the Massachusetts area codes page.